Knicks’ Trey Burke, Magic’s Stan Heath Named Player and Coach of the Month

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Westchester Knicks guard Trey Burke today was named the NBA G League Player of the Month for games played in December. The honor is Burke’s third accolade of the season after being named the league’s Player of the Week consecutively for games played Monday, Dec. 4 though Sunday, Dec. 10 and Monday, Dec. 11 through Sunday, Dec. 17. The accolade marks the first-ever Player of the Month award for Westchester and the second-ever monthly award presented to the team (Head Coach Mike Miller was named Coach of the Month in November 2015).

Burke (6-1, 190) led Westchester to a 9-4 record in December, including a 6-1 record on the road. The leading scorer for the Knicks in all but two of the team’s 13 games last month, Burke averaged 29.7 points, shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 44.1 percent from beyond the arc. The Knicks affiliate player is currently the NBA G League’s second-leading scorer on the season with an average of 27.3 points per game, and is eighth in the league in steals with an average of 2.0 per game. Earlier this season, he broke Westchester’s all-time scoring record in the team’s third game of the season with a 43-point performance at Delaware on Nov. 7.

The Westchester Knicks (16-9) return to the historic Westchester County Center on Sunday, Jan. 7 to host the Austin Spurs, the San Antonio Spurs’ affiliate, at 5:00 p.m. ET for Knicks Legends Night after traveling to Ohio to play the Canton Charge, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ affiliate, this Friday, Jan. 5 for a 7:00 p.m. ET matchup. New York Knicks alumni Allan Houston, John Starks, and Larry Johnson will sign autographs for fans at Sunday’s game beginning when doors open at 4:00 p.m.

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Lakeland, Fl. — The NBA G League announced today that Lakeland Magic Head Coach Stan Heath has been named Coach of the Month for December. The award is the first in Heath’s career and the first in Lakeland Magic franchise history.

Heath led the Magic to a 7-3 record in the December including a 5-1 record at the RP Funding Center. This stretch included a seven-game winning streak from December 6 through December 23.

On December 9, the Magic overcame a 34-point deficit to win against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the largest comeback victory in league history.

In his first season as Lakeland Magic Head Coach, Heath has led the Magic to a 13-8 record, currently third in the Eastern Conference and only one game behind first place. Prior to his time in Lakeland, Coach Heath has served as Head Coach at Kent State University, University of Arkansas, and the University of South Florida.